Sunday, July 21, 2013

Wurst Bar in the Square

Serves a casual menu with hometown roots

The Inviting Wood-Paneled Interior

We’d heard about The Wurst Bar and then read reviews on Cincinnati Bites and A Gravy Train with Biscuit Wheels, written by fellow bloggers. They compared it favorably to Senate in the Gateway Quarter so we thought we’d check it out with a group some time since it’s pretty close in Mount Lookout. The square needs a go-to restaurant besides Zip’s since Annabel’s is closed at night and Nectar is dreary 24/7.

Wurst Bar in the
(Mt. Lookout) Square

A couple of weeks ago we dropped by on a Saturday night. A table was being held (they don’t actually reserve there since it’s small and busy) for another group, but the manager/co-owner was very gracious about seating us immediately. It’s a natural wood-paneled space that wasn’t loud and, though busy, the staff didn’t seem overwhelmed. We returned earlier this week because of how good the food was the first time (more on that later). Neil called ahead and we thought we had a reservation, but that was when the bartender told me that they try to get tables ready for larger parties, but they don’t actually reserve. The staff was very accommodating and had us seated by the front door within ten minutes even though the place was packed. It was louder, though we could still hear each other, but there was something wrong either with the air conditioning or the venting because it was hotter inside than outside on a 90º evening. Neil could see only one duct along the ceiling behind the bar.

There is a good selection of beers and a fine variety of mixologist-designed drinks. I had the Red Legged Rosie. It was akin to a Cosmopolitan in taste, but with different ingredients except for the vodka. I thought it was very good and fairly priced.

The food is the main deal for being there because they make all the sausages, metts, wieners, wursts, etc., and the bread for the buns. All the meats and breads we ate were excellent on both occasions and we were able to take some food home because the portions are large, especially for those diners that have a couple of beers. Service was attentive, quick, and very upbeat even when packed.

Flying Pigs in a Blanket Appetizer

The Flying Pigs in a Blanket with Beer Cheese is a real winner as an appetizer and more than enough as a main dish. The sauce is thick with a smoky beer flavor and made us want to eat it like a heavy soup it was so good. The puff pastry is robust enough to keep its shape around the sausage, but is springy and light in texture. It even reheats pretty well.

The Brewer Coat

The Brewer Coat, a wurst topped with blue cheese and garlic fries, was very good and Dale liked the four-grain roll.

Chicken Andouille

The Roonie

The chicken truffle sausage in The Roonie and the breaded Chicken Andouille were seasoned complexly and were meals in themselves. The fried onions and Boursin cheese on The Roonie were creamy and, blessedly, not greasy while the crisp bacon wrapping on the Chicken Andouille was a creative touch to what appeared somewhat like a corn dog. The homemade brioche and Italian rolls were excellent accompaniments. The Hustlin’ 14 is a paean to the chili dog, Cincnnati style, but it’s big and a little messy. The chili is very good. If uncertain about dog and bread choices, ask the servers who are willing to steer customers to what they’ll like.

The All-Time Wurst Burger

The All-Time Wurst Burger is enormous (Neil and I shared it) since a cheese wurst is set between the veal and short rib meat mix, and topped with onion straws on a pretzel bun. This was tender and robust and, fortunately, did not fall apart into a grease-meat puddle when sliced in half (unlike some other noted burgers in the region). The Garlic Fries were the only

Ooey Gooey Mac-n-Cheese

uneven choice that were good the first time, but didn’t seem to have garlic the second time. The Onion Brick House was a stronger side, and the Mac-n-Cheese was decidedly a match for any of the sausages.

Wurst Bar on the Square showcases excellent food, friendly service, and a lively vibe. Hopefully, the air temperature was just a temporary bump in the road to success.

About Dexter…

Dexter—professional listener

He ran his consulting business from a home he shared with us from the fall of 2010 to the spring of 2014. We all got along very well and liked to entertain and get together with our friends and families. He was a great listener and enjoyed tuning in to our thoughts on the entertaining things in life. We hope you enjoy the posts Dexter shared with us previous to his death in April of 2014. We promised him he would always be a part of the blog we all started together.